beneficial or not,--a thing, too, which is esteemed
of the highest importance by the Hellenes:--(for parents, as soon as
their children are, as they think, come to years of discretion, urge
them to consider how wealth may be acquired, since by riches the value
of a man is judged):--When, I say, we are thus in earnest, and you,
who agree in other respects, fall to disputing about a matter of such
moment, that is, about wealth, and not merely whether it is black or
white, light or heavy, but whether it is a good or an evil, whereby,
although you are now the dearest of friends and kinsmen, the most bitter
hatred may arise betwixt you, I must hinder your dissension to the best
of my power. If I could, I would tell you the truth, and so put an end
to the dispute; but as I cannot do this, and each of you supposes that
you can bring the other to an agreement, I am prepared, as far as my
capacity admits, to help you in solving the question. Please, therefore,
Critias, try to make us accept the doctrines which you yourself
entertain.

CRITIAS: I should like to follow up the argument, and will ask Eryxias
whether he thinks that there are just and unjust men?

ERYXIAS: Most decidedly.

CRITIAS: And does injustice seem to you an evil or a good?

ERYXIAS: An evil.

CRITIAS: Do you consider that he who bribes his neighbour's wife and
commits adultery with her, acts justly or unjustly, and this although
both the state and the laws forbid?

ERYXIAS: Unjustly.

CRITIAS: And if the wicked man has wealth and is willing to spend it,
he will carry out his evil purposes? whereas he who is short of means
cannot do what he fain would, and therefore does not sin? In such a
case, surely, it is better that a person should not be wealthy, if his
poverty prevents the accomplishment of his desires, and his desires are
evil? Or, again, should you call sickness a good or an evil?

ERYXIAS: An evil.

CRITIAS: Well, and do you think that some men are intemperate?

ERYXIAS: Yes.

CRITIAS: Then, if it is better for his health that the intemperate man
should refrain from meat and drink and other pleasant things, but he
cannot owing to his intemperance, will it not also be better that he
should be too poor to gratify his lust rather than that he should have
a superabundance of means? For thus he will not be able to sin, although
he desire never so much.

Critias appeared to be arguing so admirably that Eryxias, if he had not
been ashamed of